Patch-applying mechanism for envelope machines



June 24, 1930. w. H. SHEPPARD PATCH APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed 0ct.'20, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet June 1930' w. H. SHEPPARD PATCH APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed Oct. 20. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTEJ N 'LlEi:

June 24, 1930. W. H. SHEPPARD PATCH APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed Oct; 20 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet June 24, 1930;

w. H. SHEPPARD PATCH APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed Oct. 20, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 24, 1930. w. H. SHEPPARD PATCH APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct; 20, 1927 June 24, 1930. w. H. SHEPPARD 1,766,693

PATCH APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed Oct. 20, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented June 2 5, 1936 WILLIAIE H. SHEPPARD, OF \VORCESTER, IIIASSACHUS'ETTS PATCH-APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Application filed October 20, 1927.

Envelopes are frequently lined with a fancy thin paper usually colored and carrying a pattern printed thereon in gold or some contra sting color which lining prevents the contents of the envelope from being read through it or otherwise identified. These linings are of a great variety of forms and sizes? The paper is usually very flimsy and cheaply made and two pieces are hard to separate from each other, especially by suction, several sheets often being lifted at the same time. The labor of fastening such a lining to an envelope is considerable and adds materially to its cost. The lining should be added to the envelope blank before it is fold-' ed and stuck and the mechanism which I have invented and herein described is intended for that purpose, though it may be easily altered for the purpose of applying patches to cover the opening of the so-called outlook envelopes, or for other like purposes.

It will readily be understood by reference to the drawings, in which it is shown in the best form of embodiment now known to me.

Fig.1 is a cross section of such a mecha: nism on line 11 of Fig. 6 showing many oi the parts in side elevation, and more particularly the lifter in position to lift an auxiliary blank or lining from a pile or stack thereof.

2 is a similar view, the auxiliary blank having been lifted by the lifter and drawn a short distance oil the pile.

Fig: 8 is also another sectional view showing the auxiliary blank applied to the main unmed envelope blank.

ll 1g. i is a sectional detail through the l ter showing the carrier receiving the auxiary blank from the lifter and about to my it to its place on the main blank as in l 2.

lg. 5 is a sectional detail also through the lifter showin the auxiliary blank 1n transit from the lifter to its position on the main blank.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the mechanism.

7 is a plan thereof.

8 is a plan of a main or gummed envelope blank to which an aux1l1ary blank or lining has been attached; and

Serial No. 227,466.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 10l0 of Fig. 6.

The mechanism as shown is intended to be used with an ordinary envelope machine which has mca. for gunnning and folding the envelope blank and also the usual central station between the gumming and folding mechanisms whethe envelope blank is momentarily at rest, and it is at this point where the present mechanism may be conveniei 1y used to apply the auxiliary blank or lining. As the means for gumming and folding the main blank to which the auxiliary blank is applied are well known in the art they are not shown herein nor described except to say that the gumming surface of the gummer may be of any desired shape, such for example, as to apply gum to the main blank at the points a in Fig. 8.

The principal features of the invention in its present embodiment are the lining table 1 on which the pile of auxiliary blanks or linings 2 rests, the sucker or lifter 3 by which the top auxiliary blank is lifted oil the pile at the proper time and the rocking carrier at by which the auxiliary blank is carried to the main blank, being preferably assisted by the swinging supplemental carrier 5.

The lifter 3 and carrier 4 are both hollow and the lifter 3 is connected preferably by a flexible tube 131 with suitable suction producing mechanism of ordinary character (not shown) which is operated at suitable times for the purposes below described. The litter 3 and the carrier 4 are each about as long as the width of the auxiliary blank to be applied, the carrier being mounted on the hollow oscillating shaft- 42 by means of short hollow pipes 6 and being provided with a longitudinal slot 7 through which the suction from a flexible tube 141 mayengage the auxiliary blank at the proper time. The lifter is also provided with a longitudinal slot 8 located to apply suction to the auxiliary blank, and means as described belov. are also provided to adjust the angle at which the liftor will strike the pile of auxiliary blanks. The supplen'iental carrier 5 is arranged and controlled to swing under the auxiliary blank when lifted assisting in its support and assisting also in carrying and depositing the auxiliary blank in its final resting place on the main blank as will later be explained.

The lifter 3 co-operates with the carrier 4 and for this purpose is mounted and operated as follows.

9 a rocker arm which is mounted on the rock shaft 10 supported on the machine and operates the frame by which the lifter 3 is carried, and by which it is lifted up and down to give the necessary lifting movement to the auxiliary blank. 11 is a forked plate, the forks of which carry blocks 12 through which passes a rod 13 having between the forks a friction roll 14 which rests on the rocker arm 9. The rod 13 extends laterally beyond one of the forks and on it is pivotally mounted a lever 15 to one end of which is attached a fiat strip 16 atsubstantially right angles thereto, and to the other a rod 17 which extends down and is bent somewhat (see Fig. 6) to be pivotally attached to the rearward extension 18 of the lifter The lifter 3 has a lug 19 extending below it by which it is pivotally attached at 20 to a lug 21 on the bottom of the forked plate 11 which has a. broadened extension at the bottom as at 22 and is provided with a screw 23 to limit the upward movement of the free end of the lifter.

24 is a spring which is attached at one end to the arm which is adjustable on the rod 17, the lower end of this spring being attached to the lug 19 by the screw 191. The upper end of the rod 17 is threaded above the lever 15 and is provided with adjusting and set nuts 26 so that its effective length may be adjusted. Guide ways 27 are mounted on the oscillating shaft 28 so that the frame as a whole may swing and also may be lifted by the rocker arm 9 or permitted to drop. The strip 16 passes down and is held in contact with roll 129 on rod 29 by means of spring 24. As the rocker arm 9 is caused to rise and fall by the rock shaft 10 it lifts the forked plate 11 in the ways 27 and the plate swings with the oscillating shaft 28 carrying with it the whole of the lifter frame. The lever 15 owing to its pivot has a rocking movement independent of the plate 11 and is rocked by means of the strip 16 which is fixedly attached to it and bears against the roll 129 on rod 29 thus controlling the angle of lifter 3 to the to one of the auxiliary blanks.

The rod 29 has a rocking movement such that the sulfiplemental carrier 5 mounted on the arms 51 fast on the rod 29 will swing at the proper time, after the lifter has raised an auxiliary blank from the pile, and assist in holding up the raised blank while it is being carried by the carrier to the main gummed blank and will also assist in the inversion of the auxiliary blank prior to its deposit on the main blank. Rod 29 operates to control the angle of the lifter 3 by means of strip 16, lever 15 and rodv 17. all as will later be explained. 'hen the rod 29 is at its low point as shown in Fig. 1 the strip 16 is approximately parallel to slide 11, thereby allowing slide 11 to be raised or lowered as the height of the pile varies without affecting the. angle of the lifter 3. Vhen rod 29 is in its upper position as shown in Figure 2 it allows litter i} to return to its normal position while depositing auxiliary blank on carrier 4, the suction of the lifter bein then relieved and suction being then applie to the carrier. The carrier rocks with its hollow shaft 42 taking the auxiliary blank from the lifter and carrying it by suction and laying it on the main blank, the supplemental carrier 5 coming up beneath the auxiliary blank as it is carried and assisting in depositing it on the main blank as will presently be explained.

These various parts may be operated in a simple manner as indicated in the drawing where 30 indicates the frame of an envelope machine, on which the various parts of my mechanism may be mounted at the central station. and in which the carriage or other parts carrying the blank runs. 31 is a cam sha ft carrying three cams 1-32, 33 and 52 having the usual cam rolls 34. 35 and 53. The cam roll 34 is connected by the link 36 with crank mechanism 37 on shaft 10 to give it an oscillating movement. The cam roll 35 is connected by link 98 with the crank mechanism 39 on shaft 28 to give it an oscillating movement.

The arms 4-1 and 4 n are loosely mounted on shaft 28. 'lhey are joined fixedly together by rod 29 and are cormected to crank pin 42 on gear 44 by link 54 to give the rod an oscillating movement. Motion is given to gca r 44 from gear 45 on the same shaft with it and in mesh with gear 46 on stub shaft 48 supported by one of the hangers 49 froln a bracket- 50 on the frame of the machine. The shaft 48 carrying the gear 46 is given an oscillating movement by means of cam 52, cam roll on aim lever 56 and link 54 connecting cam lever 56 with gear segment 5.3 (see Fig. 10). The gear 44 is in mesh with gear 420 on tube 42 and oscillates it. The cam 52 and cam roll 53 are held together in any usual way. All lost motion between the tube 42 and the chain of gears through which the tube is oscillated is taken up by the tension of a coiled spring 143 arranged upon the end of the tube one end of which is attached to a collar 144 on the tube and the other to a collar 144 on the tube but which is fixed to the frame.

The general operation is as follows: It will first be understood that the frame by which the lifter 3 is carried and controlled and which comprises the plate 11 slidable in the ways 27, together also with the lever 15, the strip or hearing 16, and the rod 17, though elevated by the lifting of the rocker arm 9 on the rocking of the shaft 19 is permitted to drop by gravity on the lowering of the rocker arm, and the permitted drop or extent of lowering of the frame is determined Jy contact of the lifter 3 with the pile of auxiliary blanks 2 in order that the lift r3 may have n iper contact with the top one of the pile of blanks or: the height r P may vary, the lowering of the rocker being; siuiici lit all times oerniit or action.

Referring first to 1 where the lifter o is shown in contact with tne top one of the pile of blanks adjacent the edge thereof and just about to lift one of the blanks:

At this time the frame carrying the lifter 3 will have been turned, by the turning of the shaft 28, to a position where the frame when lowered wil bring the lifter into contact with the top one of the pile of blanks adjacent one edge thereof leaving free the body of the blank lying back of said edge. The lifter 3 will then be occupying a position turned away from the stop inst which it has normal so that tion face may be brought into proper cont c with the of the auxiliary blank for ting it. The turning of the lifter 3 is efcted by the lowering of the shaft 29 which. rries the roll :i which the i inst strip 4 The lowering of ii the strip 16 to turn the lifter turningit, the distortion of permitting of such turning.

he turi'ied Losilion of the. litter o is limited 4 o- 1- the shaft is lowered and 9 lowered in an amount not only i the iter so that its sumiou. side or face will here proper contact wi h the auxiliary blank on the top of the pile but to a position also where th strip 16 will lie substantially para lel with the slide 11 of the lifter-carrying frzr' that as the frame is lowered. to move the lift .1 into contact with the pile, there w l be no angular change or turning of the lit as the height of the pile may Vary. That is, the lifter has not only been turned into a position to properly contact with the top one of the pile of blanks, but the litter is at the same time so held and controlled that its an 'ular or turned pos tion will be maintai irrespective of the height of the pile of blanks as the liftercarrying frame is raised or lowered at this time. At this same time the supplemental carrier 5 which assists in the carrying of the blank elevated by the lifter will have been moved into a forward out-of-the-way position. T his supplemental carrier is borne by arms 4:2 secured to the rod 29 so that as the rod 29 is turned down for connolling the position or the lifter as "ust explained, it also operates to turn the supplemental carrier 0 into out-of-the-way position as aforesaid. At this same time, also, the curr cr which takes the i "to auxiliary blank from the lifter and lays it upon the main or gunimed envelope blank, as will presently be explained, is returning; after having deposited an. auxiliary blank upon the main or gunnned envelope blank and is then occupying; an oiit-oftl1o-way position. Vfith all the parts thus positioned the rocker arm 9 will be lowered by the rocking" of the shaft sutliciently to allow of the dropping of the frame carrying the lifter 3 to where it will have Contact with the top one of the pile of auxiliary blanks as aforesaid. Such dropping of the lifter-carrying frame will continue slightly further than as shown in Fig. 1 in order that the slot 8 in the lifter through which suction is applied to the blank for lifting it, will be brought into close pro imity to the edge of the blank.

When the litter is thus brought into close proximity with the eoge of the blank suction is applied to the lifter. Thereupon the lifter-carryingframe begins to rise by the elevation of the roe er arms 9, and the lifter lifts the top blank from the next adjacent blank in the pile of auxiliary blanks. At this time the lifter-carrying frame will be turned by the turning of the shaft 28 and the lifter moved forward away from the edge of the pile of blanks, subst ntially as shown in F 2 and l. As the lifter thus moves forward it is allowed to res me its normal position contacting with the stop 22. This is permitted by raising the shaft 29 which releases the strip 16 when the spring 2 will operate to throw the lifter into contact with the stop.

f'he elevation of the shaft 29 operates also to throw the supplemental carrier 5 inward beneath the lifted blank to a position just back of the edg'v thereof where it is being retained by the suction of the lifter At this time also, following the supplemental carrier 5, the cnrri .r l will be turned back to a position where its slot 7 through which suction is applied to the auxiliar blank for carrying it, will be positioned 112st beneath the edge of the blank which has been lifted and borne by the lifter as aforesaid. Thereupon the lifter will be relieved of all suction and suction will be applied to the carrier at and the auxiliary blank made to adhere to it along its edge, all substantially asshown in igslQ and 4. Thereupon the carriers and 5 will be moved forward, the carrier carrying the auxiliary blank drawn off the pile of blanks and the supplemental carrier 5 assisting in the support of the blank as it is being; carried, the forward movement of the supplemental carrier being obtained by a further downturning of the shaft 29 to which it is fixed, all substantially as shown 1n Fig. 5.

Following this movement, the carrier 4 will. turn downward carrying the auXilia-i" blank with it on account of its engagement with the seized edge thereof with the body of the blank left free trailing behind until the carrier has reached a downturned position where it will have inverted the seized edge of the auxiliary blank and applied it to the gummed edge of the main blank. Such turning or inversion of the auxiliary blank along, the edge thereof tends to so bend it that the entire trailing body oi the auxiliary blank will then turn over or become inverted and roll down into place onto the main or gumnied envelope blank. This action takes place on account of the tendency of the bent auxiliary blank to straighten. assisted by gravity, and is facilitated in use the auxiliary blank is of thin material possessing little body stillness, by the supplemental carrier 5 which assists in turning or inverting it, for as the carrier 4 tends to turn downward the supplemental carrier 5 will be moved for aid by the further downward movement of the shaft 29. with the cll'ect of throwing the body of the blank over. thereby assisting in its turning or inversion.

The operation of depositing the auxiliary blank having thus been etl'ected, the main blank with the auxiliary blar. applied to it then passes to the folding box in the ordinary operation of the machine a ad is there folded, the operations incident to folding acting also to firmly press the auxiliary blank to the main blank. At the same time. after the deposit of the auxiliary blank on the main blank the carrier l is relieved of suction and the operating parts made to resume a position substantially as shown in Fig. 1, and the operation repeated as other envelope blanks are brought to the central station.

Vhile the sequence of operation of the parts is thus described as though intermittent, their operation in point of fact is continuous, one. step following another with great rapidity and there is no break.

The supplemental carrier 5 which assists in carrying the auxiliary blanks may be dispensed with if the blanks carried are of material having some stillness and inherently capable of turning or inversion when borne by the carrier 4 as atoresaid. hen the blank is thin having but little body stillness and elasticity, as is often the case. then the supplemental carrier desirable. if not necessa ry.

Reference has already been made to the fact that the litter 3 contacts with the top one of the pile of blanks adjacent the edge thereof so that its suction port 8 will have operative eti'ect to lift the blank at a point immediately adjacent its edge. Owing to the fact that the auxiliary blank or lining is sometimes of very thin light ma crial a strong suction applied to the top one of a pile of blanks is apt to lift more than one blank. By application of the suction. ll! rever. to the edge of the blank but one blank will be lifted at a time because the lifting of the edge of the blank will tend to break the partial vacuum existing between the top blank and the next one below it. By adjustment of the sci nuts 26 on the upper end of the rod 17 the litter '3 may be angularly positioned for lnor-t eltectively lifting the top one of the pile oi.- blanks when applied to it.

'hile it will be evident to those skilled in the art that my invention may be differentl embodied I have shown and described it abovc in the best form now known to me and 1 realize that it may be varied without departing from its essence.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In mechanism of the class de.-;cribed for applying an auxiliary blank to a gummed main blank. the combination comprising an oscillating carrier for the auxiliary blank adapted to have carrying engagement with the auxiliary blank along only one edge thereof leaving tree the body of the blank lying back of said edge, and means for operating the carrier tor depositing the auxiliary blank on the main blank whereby the engagcd edge of the auxiliary blank will become inverted preliminary to its application by the carrier to the main blank and afterward the free trailing body of the auxiliary blank lying back of said edge will become inverted and deposit itself on the main blank.

2. In mechanism of the class described for applying an auxiliary blank to a main blank. the combination comprising an oscillating suction carrier for the auxiliary blank adapted to have carrying engagement with the auxiliary blank on the under side thereof along only one edg leaving tree the body of the blank lying back of said edge. and means for operating the carrier for depositing the auxiliary blank on the main blank v-xhcrcby the engaged edge of the auxiliary blank will become inverted preliminary to its application by the carrier to the main blank and afterard the free trailing body of the auxiliary blank lying back of said edge will become inverted and deposit itself on the main blank.

3. In mechanism of the class described for applying an auxiliary blank to a main blank. the combination comprising a feed for the auxiliary blanks. a carrier for the auxiliarv b anks as they are fed. said carrier being adapted to have carrying engagement with each fed auxiliary blank along only one edge thereof leaving free the body of the blank lying ba k oi said edge. means for mounting the carrier to reciprocate along an arcnatc path between the point of feed of: the auxiliary blanks and the main blank whereby as the carrier passes from the point of feed to the, main blank said engaged edge portion of the auxiliary blank will become inverted by the carrier and ('leposited upon the main blank and the tree trailing body of the auxiliary blank lying back of the deposited edge portion thereof will become inverted and dc 1H. xi

i the body of the blank lying back of said n eans iounting the carrier to reocate along; an arcuate path between the f feed the auxiliary blanks and the whereby as the carrier passes oint of feed to the main blank said so edge portion of the auxiliary blank econio inverted by the carrier and de oosited won the main blank and the free "(railing body of the auxiliary blank lying bacl' f the deposited edge portion thereof will become inverted and deposit itself on main blank, and means for reciprocating ie carrier.

ln mechanism of the class described applying auxiliary blank to a guimneu nain blank, the com ination con'iprisin a all 'rarrier for the auxilia v blank adaptec have ca 'ryinp; engage nent with the auxiliary one the edge the rier blank a reel, means for ophe ca lepositlng the auxiliary blank will beits application blank am a iary blank be cried and depot;

nl means assis I e auxiliary blan come v the carrie will become in '0 main blank, a a the body o' vvl; ireby it may deposi on the main blai .L J b (5. ln mechani 1 of the class described for you; an aux. ar ank to a mam blank, 'ismp; a suction carrier ion 0 unpi 7 m blank adapted to have cari 'ement Wit 1 the aixiliary blank thereof along its edge, means for oper the carrier for deposit ing; the auxiliar blank on the main blank u'l ireby the engaged edge of the auxiliary blank will become inverted preliminary to its application by the carrier to the main blank and afterward the body of the auxiliary blanl back of said edge Will become inverted ant deposit itself on the main blank, and means assisting in invei the body of the auxiliary blank whereby it may deposit itself as afo esaid on the main blank.

7. li nechanism of the class 'desc ibed for applying an auxiliary blank to a mam blank,

the combination compris'ng; a feed for the auxiliary blan (S, a carrier for the auxiliary blanks as they (re fed, said carrier being adapted to have carrying engagement With each fed auxiliary blank along its edge.

or mounting the carrier to reciproan arcuate path between the point of feed of the auxiliary blanks and the main blank whereb as the carrier passes from the po nt of feed to the main blank said en raged edge porfon of the auxiliary blank will become inverted by the carrieai'id deposited upon the main blank and the body of the auxi 'ary blank lying; back of the drposited ea 7 portion thereof will become inverted and deposit itself on the main blank, means for reciprocating the carrier, and. means assisting in inverting; the body of the auxiliary blank whereby it may deposit itself as aforesaid on the main blank.

8. In mechanism of the class described for applying an auxiliary blank to a main blank, the combination comprising a. feed for the a1 xiliary blanks, a suction carrier for the auxiliary blanks as they are fed, said carrier being adapted to have carrying engagement with each fed auxiliary blank on the under side thereof alongits edge, means for mounting; the carrier to reciprocate along an arcuate path between the point of feed of the auxiliary blanks and the main blank whereby as the carrier pass-es f om the po nt of feed to the main blank said engaged edge portion of the auxiliary blank will become inverted.

means if a oi .L CLUE n by the carrier and deposited upon the main blank and the body of the auxiliary blank lying back of the deposited edge portion thereof will become inverted and deposit itself on the main blank, means for reciproatinp; the carrier, and means assisting in in-.

vertiug" the body of the auxiliary blank whereby it may deposit itself as a'i'mesaid on the main blank.

9, ln mechanism for applying: auxiliary blanks arranged in pile to successively fed main blanks, the combination comprising a suction lifter for the auxiliary blanks. a. frame carrying the lifter having; a permitted gravity drop. means for pivotally mountin said me whereby the lift-er may be moved between an auxiliary blank lifting position and a d livery position on turning; the frame, means for intermittently lifting said frame permit/ti of an intermittent gravity drop thereof, means carried by said frame for changing the angular turned position of the lifter, and. means for taking an auxiliary blank from the lifter when in its delivery position and applying it to a main blank.

10. In. mechanism for applying an xiliary.

gravity drop thereof, means for releasably maintaining the litter in a normal angularly-turned position. means tor changing the angular-1y turned position of the litter and for maintaining its analilarly-turned posh tion when the litter is moved into its auxiliary blank lifting, position. and means for taking an auxiliary blank from the litter when in its delivery position antl applyin; it to a main blank.

11. In mechanism for applying auxiliary blanks arranged in pile to suceessively fed main blanks. the combination eomprising a suction lifter for the auxiliary blanks, a frame carrying the lifter having an intermittent gravity drop, means for pii'otally mounting said frame whereby the lifter may he moved between an auxiliary blank lifting position and a delivery position on turning the frame. means for intermittently lifting said frame permitting of an intermittent gravity drop thereof. means for normally holding the litter in a determinate angularly-turned position. means for changing the angularly turned position of the litter as the lifter is moved into and away from its auxiliary blank lifting position. and means for taking an auxiliary blank from the lifter when in its delivery position and applying it to a main blank.

12. In mechanism for applying auxiliary blanks arranged in pile to suceessiv'ely fed main blanks. the combination comprising a blank-lifting means for sueeessively lifting auxiliary blanks from the pile. blank-em'ryin means for sneeessively taking the auxil iary blanks -From the blank-li'ftingr means and depositing them on the main blanks as they are sueeessively fed. a supplemental carrier, and means for moving: the supplemental earrier in a path between said blank-lifting means and said blanleearryi11g means where by said supplemental carrier will assist in the eontrol of the auxiliary blanks lifted and carried thereby.

\VILLIAM H. SHEPPARD. 

